Signage can contribute to creating strong building identity when it is well integrated with the design of the adjacent or supporting architecture. A project's signage program must begin during design development to better achieve integration with the architecture. Signs should add
interest to the street frontage and overall environs and should be appropriate in both scale and character.
(a) A comprehensive signage plan that includes all signs, both existing and proposed, must be provided.
(b) Context, Compatibility and Character.
(1) The location, size and appearance of signs should contribute to street activity and enhance the street-level experience that is appropriate to each district or neighborhood.
(2) Establishing a rhythm along the street-level facade through continuity and spacing of signs helps to create human scale.
(3) Historic buildings with ground floor retail shall have signs that do not obscure the architecture, but are integrated into the original or restored storefront elements.
(4) Because residential and commercial uses generally exist in close proximity, signs should be designed and located so that they have little or no impact on adjacent residential neighborhoods.
(5) No sign shall imitate governmental signs or signs used in emergencies.
(6) The scale of signs should be appropriate for the building on which they are placed and area in which they are located. The size and shape of a sign should be proportional with the scale of the structure.
(7) Signage should be used to help distinguish the ground level of a building from the upper levels of a building.
(8) Creativity and individual expression in the design and placement of signs are encouraged.
(9) Retail signs should be appropriately scaled for the primary viewing audience.
(c) Sign Location.
(1) No sign shall be placed in such a position as to endanger pedestrians, bicyclists, or traffic on a street by obscuring the view or by interfering with official street signs or signals by virtue of position or color.
(2) Visibility at Intersections. Signs shall be located and designed so as to maintain a substantially clear view between two and one-half (2.5) feet and eight (8) feet above grade in a triangle formed by intersecting street right-of-way lines and a line thirty (30) feet from the point where the street lines intersect. At the intersection of a driveway and a public street, such triangle shall be defined by the street right-of-way line, the driveway pavement edge and a line ten (10) feet from the point of intersection.
(3) Signs and their supporting structures shall maintain clearance and noninterference with all surface and underground utility and communications lines or equipment.
(4) Pylon, Freestanding Pole, monument or ground, excluding billboards, will be a minimum of ten (10) feet from the nearest street lines.
(5) Billboards shall be freestanding and located twenty-five (25) feet from the nearest edge of roadways and all other property lines.
(d) Sign Materials and Construction: Every sign shall be constructed of durable materials, using noncorrosive fastenings; shall be structurally safe and erected or installed in strict accordance with the Ohio Building Code; and shall be maintained in safe condition and good repair at all times.
(1) The selected materials should be compatible with the design of the facade on which they are placed and contribute to the legibility of the sign. For example, glossy finishes are often difficult to read due to glare and reflection.
(2) Colors should be selected to contribute to legibility and design integrity. For example, too many colors used thoughtlessly can confuse the reader and negate the message of a sign.
(3) Contrast is important to the legibility of signs. A substantial contrast should be provided between the color and material of the background and the letters or symbols to make the sign easier to read in both day and night. For example, light letters on a dark background or dark letters on alight background are most legible.
(e) Sign Area.
(1) The area of a sign shall mean the area of all lettering, wording, and accompanying designs, logos, and symbols. The area of a sign shall not include any supporting framework, bracing or trim which is incidental to the display, provided that it does not contain any lettering, wording, or symbols.
(2) Where the sign consists of individual letters, designs, or symbols attached to a building, awning, or wall, the area shall be that of the smallest rectangle which encompasses all of the letters, designs, and symbols.
(3) Signs may be double-sided.
A. Only one (1) side shall be considered when determining the sign area, provided that the faces are equal in size, the interior angle formed by the faces is less than forty-five (45) degrees, and the two faces are not more than eighteen (18) inches apart.
B. Where the faces are not equal in size, but the interior angle formed by the faces is less than forty-five (45) degrees and the two (2) faces are not more than eighteen (18) inches apart, the larger sign face shall be used as the basis for calculating sign area.
C. When the interior angle formed by the faces is greater than forty-five (45) degrees, or the faces are greater than eighteen (18) inches apart, all sides of such sign shall be considered in calculating the sign area.
(4) Signs that consist of, or have attached to them, one or more three- dimensional or irregularly shaped objects, shall have a sign area of the sum of two adjacent vertical sign faces of the smallest cube encompassing the sign or object.
(5) If elements of a sign are movable or flexible, such as a flag or banner, the measurement is taken when the elements are fully extended and parallel to the plane of view.
(6) The permitted maximum area for all signs is determined by the sign type, the zoning district in which the sign is located, and, in certain cases, the use with which it is associated.
(f) Sign Height.
(1) Sign height shall be measured as the distance from the highest portion of the sign to the mean finished grade of the street closest to the sign. In the case of a sign located greater than 100 feet from a public street, height shall be measured to the mean grade at the base of the sign.
(2) Clearance for freestanding and projecting signs shall be measured as the smallest vertical distance between finished grade and the lowest point of the sign, including any framework or other structural elements.
(3) The permitted maximum height for all signs is determined by the sign type, the zoning district in which the sign is located, and, in certain cases, the use with which it is associated.
(g) Sign Spacing: The spacing between sign structures shall be measured as a straight-line distance between the closest edges of each sign.
(h) Sign Illumination.
(1) Signs may be illuminated, unless otherwise specified herein, consistent with the following standards:
A. Location. The summary table below provides detailed information about what types of illumination are permitted in each zoning district.
B. Light sources to illuminate signs shall neither be visible from any street right-of-way, nor cause glare hazardous or distracting to pedestrians, vehicle drivers, or adjacent properties.
C. No more than 0.2 foot-candle of light shall be detectable at the boundary of any abutting Property.
D. Hours of Operation:
i. Signs on non-residential properties may be illuminated from 5:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m., or one-half (½) hour past the close of any legally permitted business located on the same property as the sign, whichever is later.
ii. Signs shall provide an automatic timer to comply with the intent of this Section.
E. Brightness: Digital displays are subject to the following brightness limits:
i. During daylight hours between sumise and sunset, luminance shall be no greater than five thousand (5,000) nits.
ii. At all other times, luminance shall be no greater than two hundred fifty (250) nits and illuminance shall be no greater than 0.3 foot candles above ambient light levels, as measured at the distance specified in subsection (h)(7) hereof, Digital Display Illumination Measurement Criteria.
iii. Each sign must have a light sensing device that will automatically adjust the brightness of the display as the natural ambient light conditions change to comply with the limits set herein.
F. Message Duration: The minimum length of time each message may be displayed on a digital display or Tri-Vision Board sign shall be regulated as follows:
i. Thirty (30) seconds for signs oriented towards a limited-access roadway.
ii. Twenty (20) seconds for all other automatic changeable copy signs.
G. Existing Signs: Signs legally in existence at the time of the adoption of this Ordinance shall be operated in conformance with these regulations unless a variation is authorized.
(2) Types of Illumination: Where permitted, illumination may be:
A. External: Externally illuminated signs, where permitted, are subject to the following regulations:
i. The source of the light must be concealed by translucent covers.
ii. External illumination shall be by a steady, stationary light source, shielded and directed solely at the sign. The light source must be static in color.
B. Internal: Internally illuminated signs, where permitted, are subject to the following regulations:
i. Internal illumination, including neon lighting, must be static in intensity and color.
ii. Digital displays are permitted in accordance with the regulations contained here within.
(3) Digital display signs are subject to the following regulations in addition to all other requirements established in this Section.
A. Sign Type: Digital displays are only permitted in the form of freestanding and wall signs, in accordance with the regulations established herein.
B. Height: A digital display shall have the same height limits as for other permitted signs of the same type and location.
C. Area:
i. Freestanding signs.
• Digital displays oriented towards roadways with speed limits lower than thirty-five (35) miles per hour or with fewer than four (4) automobile travel lanes shall not exceed more than twelve (12) square feet in area.
• Digital displays oriented towards roadways with speed limits at or above thirty-five (35) miles per hour and with at least four (4) automobile travel lanes shall not exceed more than sixteen (16) square feet in area.
ii. Wall signs. Digital displays shall not exceed more than ten (10) square feet in area.
D. Maximum Number per Property: Where permitted, one (I) digital display sign is permitted per Property.
E. Message Display:
i. One message/display may be brighter than another, but each individual message/display must be static in intensity.
ii. The content of a digital display must transition by changing instantly, with no transition graphics. For example, no fade-out or fade-in.
iii. Default Design: The sign shall contain a default design which shall freeze the sign message in one position if a malfunction should occur.
F. Conversion of a permitted non-digital sign to a digital sign requires the issuance of a permit pursuant to Permits and Applications.
G. The addition of any digital display to a nonconforming sign is prohibited.
H. Existing Signs: Signs legally in existence at the time of the adoption of this section shall be operated in conformance with these regulations unless a variation is authorized under the provisions herein.
(4) Electrical Standards.
A. Permits for illuminated signs will not be issued without an electrical permit, if required. Applications for electrical permits shall be filed at the same time as the sign permit application.
B. All work shall be completed in full compliance with the City of Canton Building Code as set forth in the Ohio Building Code.
C. The electrical supply to all exterior signs, whether to the sign itself or to lighting fixtures positioned to illuminate the sign, shall be provided by means of concealed electrical cables. Electrical supply to freestanding signs shall be provided by means of underground cables.
D. The owner of any illuminated sign shall arrange for a certification showing compliance with the brightness standards set forth herein by an independent contractor and provide the certification documentation to the City of Canton as a condition precedent to the issuance of a sign permit.
(5) Glare Control: Glare control shall be achieved primarily through the use of such means as cutoff fixtures, shields, and baffles, and appropriate application of fixture mounting height, wattage, aiming angle, and fixture placement. Vegetation screens shall not be employed to serve as the primary means for controlling glare.
(6) Illumination Standards by District.
Table of Illumination Standards by District
Zoning District | Illumination Type | Size Limitation | ||
Internal | External | Digital Display | Automatic Changeable Copy Signs | |
Residential Districts | N | P | N | NA |
Business Districts | P | P | P | 15 square feet |
Industrial Districts | P | P | P | 15 square feet |
Hall of Fame Village District | ||||
Special Zoning Districts; OS, CS, FH, UG, and LWO | N^ | N^ | N^ | N/A^ |
Target Investment Zones including PO and UFO Districts | ||||
Limited Duration Signs | N | N | N | N/A |
Temporary Signs | N | N | N | N/A |
Portable Signs | N | N | N | N/A |
Footnotes:
(1) Limited Duration, Temporary and Portable Signs are subject to the illumination regulations governing Limited Duration, Temporary and Portable Signs, rather than the illumination standards governing the specific district where the sign is located.
(2) ^ Certain exemptions apply to parks and stadiums.
P = Permitted, N= Not Permitted, and N/A = Not Applicable
(7) Digital Display Illumination Measurement Criteria.
A. The luminance of a Digital Display shall be measured with a luminance meter.
B. The illuminance of a Digital Display shall be measured with an illuminance meter set to measure foot candles accurate to at least two decimals. All measurements shall be taken as close as practical to a perpendicular plane of the sign at the distance determined by the total square footage of the Digital Display as set forth in the Sign Area of a Sign versus Measurement Distance table.
Area of Sign (SF) | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 90 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 | 300 |
Measurement (Feet) | 32 | 45 | 55 | 63 | 71 | 77 | 84 | 89 | 95 | 100 | 122 | 141 | 158 | 173 |
(Ord. 164-2020. Passed 9-14-20.)